The Latest: Best Buy founder denounces anti-Islam ads

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Latest on executives donations to group that distributed anti-Islam ads (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

The founder of Best Buy has directed his investment firm to cut off any further donations to a conservative non-profit group that distributed inflammatory anti-Muslim videos on social media.

Olympus Ventures said in a statement Friday that Richard Schulze was unaware the organization, Secure America Now, had distributed the ads when the firm made a 2016 contribution to the group. Olympus Ventures, which manages Schulze's investments, says he has strongly condemned the group's ads.

The Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group, first reported that Olympus Ventures and former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson each contributed $25,000 to Secure America Now in 2016. Anderson tells Minnesota Public Radio, where he's a board member, that he didn't know about the videos before contributing to Secure America Now and wouldn't have donated if he had known.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations has called on Anderson to step down from the boards of Minnesota Public Radio and General Mills.

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10:13 a.m.

Former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson has acknowledged donating $25,000 to a politically conservative non-profit group that distributed inflammatory anti-Muslim videos on social media.

But Anderson tells Minnesota Public Radio , where he's a board member, that he didn't know about the videos before contributing to Secure America Now and wouldn't have donated if he had known.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations has called on Anderson to step down from the boards of Minnesota Public Radio and General Mills.

The Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group, first reported Anderson and the investment firm for Best Buy founder Richard Schulze's foundation each contributed $25,000 in 2016 to Secure America Now. The foundation's firm, Olympus Ventures, did not immediately respond to a call for comment and an attempt to reach Schulze.

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